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May 18th , 2024

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Ampong Enoch

A year ago

THE NOTEBOOK: KANE'S OPTIONS INCLUDE POCHETTINO REUNION AND SPURS STEP UP BID TO LAND NAGELSMANN

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A year ago



Tottenham Hotspur rallied from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Manchester United in a thrilling Premier League clash on Thursday.


Jadon Sancho put United ahead after seven minutes when he cut in from the left and struck a low right-foot shot into the far corner. Rashford made it 2-0 just before halftime when he ran onto a long ball from Bruno Fernandes, outpaced Eric Dier and fired past Forster.

Tottenham fullback Pedro Porro got the hosts back in the game when he hooked a shot past keeper David De Gea in the 56th minute after a Harry Kane effort was blocked.

The goal lifted Spurs and they created several more chances before Son Heung-min swept home a Kane cross in the 79th minute to rescue a point under interim head coach Ryan Mason.

Mail Sport's SAMI MOKBEL looks at some of the things you may have missed.


Kane's options include reunion with Pochettino


Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy’s efforts to prevent Harry Kane from joining Manchester United this summer are set to be complicated by Mauricio Pochettino’s imminent appointment at Chelsea.

Kane’s future is unclear as United prepare a swoop for the England captain, who is entering the final 12 months of his contract.

United want Kane and are prepared to make a sizeable offer ahead of next season. Kane would consider a move to Old Trafford.

But Levy’s determination to keep Kane will prove a major hurdle towards United’s hopes of landing the 29-year-old. Spurs value Kane at £100m, but could be tempted into accepting less for a foreign club.

However, the expected arrival of Pochettino at Stamford Bridge could indirectly complicate Tottenham’s attempts to prevent Kane from leaving for Old Trafford.

Pochettino and Kane grew close during their time working together at Spurs and sources have indicated the Argentine would jump at the chance to work with the striker again.

The chances of Levy selling Kane to Chelsea this summer appear remote. Yet it has not gone unnoticed at Spurs that Pochettino’s return to the Premier League plays right into Kane’s hands.

Sell Kane to United for below £100million this summer or watch him join Chelsea for nothing next year? If push came to shove would Kane, a Spurs legend, even consider a move to west London? Is Levy willing to take that chance?


Pay rises for United stars


Manchester United players will net pay rises of up to 20 per cent if they seal their return to Champions League.

Mail Sport has learned that a number of the club’s most recent signings will see their wages increase if they finish in the top-four and qualify for next season’s competition.

A number of players saw their wages reduced at the end of last season after dropping out of Europe’s most prestigious club competition following their sixth placed finish but their wages are set to increase, too.


Mason was a popular pick


Ryan Mason’s second caretaker spell in charge of Tottenham got underway on Thursday night - and not a moment’s too soon for a clutch of the club’s senior players.

After Antonio Conte’s departure was finally confirmed in March, there was confusion and bewilderment within sections of the playing staff when the club placed the Italian’s No 2 Cristian Stellini as acting head coach instead of Mason.

‘What’s the point of sacking a manager and putting his assistant in charge? Absolutely nothing changed,’ said a source close to the playing squad.

Mason was the pick of a number of players to take over following Conte’s sacking.

Likewise, Mason wanted the opportunity and there was concern earlier this week after Stellini was eventually dismissed over whether the former Spurs midfielder would even accept the offer after initially being overlooked.

After the club’s latest first-half aberration, Mason was probably wishing he hadn’t.


Spurs step up bid to land Nagelsmann


Julian Nagelsmann’s decision to withdraw from the race to become next Chelsea manager has raised optimism at Tottenham that their No 1 target may be obtainable.

There was resignation among senior figures at Spurs that the German preferred the job at Stamford Bridge.

But Nagelsmann’s decision to drop out of the process has resulted in the north London club redoubling their efforts to appoint  a manager they feared was out of reach.



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